Chapter 14: Postural analysis and correction techniques

CHAPTER 14: POSTURAL ANALYSIS & CORRECTION TECHNIQUES

Health Check Information  Any fractures/Sprains?

YES/NO
Date:………………………Name:……………………………………  Hernia, or any condition that may be aggravated on
……Age:……DOB:…………………Occupation: lifting weights YES/NO
………………………Email:…………………..  History of breathing or lung problems
Address:………………………………………………………………… YES/NO
…………….. NOTES:___________________________________________
Mobile:……………………..Landline:…………………….. _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Exercise History _____________________ __________
 If yes to any of the above then please make a
Physical restrictions? Tight muscles or painful areas in
note and ask why, when ,where, what!
your body right
now?_____________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Postural Analysis
______________________________________
 If the client has any tight muscles find out why,
SIDE VIEW Circle Comment
when, where ,what!
Left Right
Any Shoes and socks off Yes/No Yes/No
operations________________________________________  Just in front of ankle Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________
______________________________________  Just in front of middle of knee Y/N Y/N
 If yes find out Why, when, where, what!  Just behind axis of hip Y/N Y/N
 Middle of shoulder joint Y/N Y/N
Medication & Purpose:  Middle of ear Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________  Neutral Spine Y/N Y/N
___________________
 Again why ,when, where, what! If prescribed
BACK VIEW
ask client the purpose, name, dr’s name and No.  Achilles Vertical Y/N Y/N
 Knee crease level Y/N Y/N
 Hips level Y/N
 Spine straight Y/N
Notes:____________________________________________  Shoulders level Y/N
_________________________________________________  Inside border of shoulder blade vertical
_________________________________________________ Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________  Shoulder blade flat on back Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________  Head Centred Y/N
_________________________________________________
_
 Anything else you need to write down? Please
MUSCLE LENGTHS
mention any behaviours patterns, or any thing
else you might want to note for the future. CHEST + / -
Pec Minor (L) ______/_______
(Arms by side) (R)______/_______
 Have you ever suffered from high blood pressure /
heart trouble? YES/NO  Look for distance between acromion process
 Have you ever suffered from a stroke?
and floor/table. The shoulder line should be
YES/NO
 Do you have pains in your heart and/or chest? parallel to the floor/table
YES/NO
Pec Major (L) ______/_______
 Do you often feel faint or have dizzy spells?
(Shoulder & elbow 45’) (R)______/_______
YES/NO
 Arms at 90deg, forearm to touch the floor.
 Has your doctor ever said that you have a bone or
joint problem
COMMENTS________________________________________
Which may be made worse by exercise?
_________________________________________________
YES/NO
_________________________________________________
 Is there a good physical reason not mentioned here
_________________________________________________
why you should
______
Not undertake an activity program even if you
CALF + / -
wanted to? YES/NO
Soleus (L) _____/_______
 Muscle, Joint or Back disorder, or any
(Knee bent) (R)______/_______
Previous injury still affecting you
YES/NO
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Chapter 14: Postural analysis and correction techniques
 Foot should cross 90deg marginally
Gastrocnemius (L) ______/_______ MUSCLE FUNCTION
(Leg straight) (R)______/_______
 Foot should cross 90deg marginally
SHOULDER GIRDLE Circle
COMMENTS________________________________________ (L) (R)
_________________________________________________ Elevation:Hand to Ceiling (ROM) Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________ Winging of scapular Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________  Look for even movement in both scapulas.
____  Look for scapulae rotating along the rib cage.
+ / - Hitching of shoulder Y/N Y/N
HAMSTRING (L) ______/_______  Look for traps staying down till the arm crosses
(Hip 90’) (R)______/_______ shoulder line.
 The lower leg should be in one straight line with 4 Point: 1 arm lift- winging Y/N Y/N
the thigh i.e. . Knee @ 180deg.  Load the serratus anterior and check for
COMMENT_________________________________________ winging
_________________________________________________ Single Prone arm lift Y/N Y/N
_________________________________________________
 Look for arm (from fingers till shoulder) in one
_________________________________________________
straight line.
______ + / -
GLUTEALS (L) ______/_______
(Neutral spine) (R)______/_______ COMMENT
 The thigh should be at 125deg to the hip and __________________________________________
the lower back should not round. It should _________________________________________________
maintain neutral spine. _________________________________________________
COMMENT_________________________________________ _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ ABDOMINAL/CORE
_________________________________________________ 4 Point T/A check Draw belly button in Y/N
______ Oblique flaring Y/N
 Stomach should be able to be pulled in
 Oblique muscles should be activated.
HIP FLEXORS +/ - Leg Loading Grade 1- drop 1 foot to
Psoas (L) _____/______ Lie on back, knees bent floor and return Y/N
(Knee level with hip) (R)_____/______  There should not be bloating of stomach
 Neutral spine should be maintained
 Maintain neutral spine and see if the knee is in
Neutral spine Grade 2- drop both feet to
line with hip.
Floor and return Y/N
Rectus Femoris (L) _____/______
Grade 3- extend 1 leg out straight
(Ankle under knee) (R)_____/______
An inch above floor and return Y/N
 See if maintaining position as above if the ankle Grade 4- extend both legs out
passes beyond and under the knee line. And return Y/N
COMMENT_________________________________________ COMMENT_________________________________________
_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
______
GLUTEAL
SHOULDER ROTATORS + / -
Int. Rotation (L) ______/_______ Prone Circle
(R)______/_______ (L) (R)
Straight leg raise
 Look for rotation in the shoulder joint (elbow
Before hamstring Y/N Y/N
must maintain its same plane)
 Look for gluteus activating before hamstring
Ext. Rotation (L) ______/_______
Side Lying
(R)______/_______
Straight leg raises Y/N Y/N
 Look for rotation in the shoulder joint (elbow
Maintain Neutral Y/N Y/N
must maintain its same plane)
 Look for gluteus activating before ITB
COMMENTS________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

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9. what are you looking to see in the hips from the front
Weigh + Measure view

Date

Time

Tester

Resting Heart Rate

Blood Pressure

Chest/bust

Waist

Hips

Thighs R/L

Arms R/L

Height

Weight

Tanita Ad. Ch. Ath.

Composition

How do you rate your current

(Scale :1=Needs improvement 10 =Very Good)
Stress levels

Fitness

Energy

Quality of sleep

Body image

 Tips:
a. Use same weighing scale and at the
same time 10. What are you looking to see in the hips from the rear
b. Use same pressure on measuring tape view?
c. Use same measuring tape 11. What are you looking to see in the spine from the
rear view?
QUESTIONS: 12. What are you looking to see in the spine from the
side view?
1. What is a plumb line? 13. What are you looking to see in the shoulders from
2. What are you looking for in Posterior view? the rear view?
3. What are you looking for in side view? 14. What are you looking to see in the shoulders from
4. what are you looking for in anterior view the side view?
5. What are you looking to see in foot alignment? 15. What are you looking to see in the neck position?
6. What are you looking to see in the knees alignment 16. What is correct posture?
from posterior view? 17. Is bad posture a downward spiralling trend?
7. What are you looking to see in the knees from the 18. what are you looking for I shoulder blade movement
side view? 19. what are you looking for in neutral spine
8. what are you looking to see in the hips from the side 20. How often should you do a weigh measure?
view 21. How would you deal with a client who speaks about
increase of weight on the weighing scale as a result
of weight training?
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Chapter 14: Postural analysis and correction techniques
Name the bony components of the shoulder girdle
indicated by each number.
1=
2=
Ok so we have now established what postural analysis 3=
can help with! 4=
You know the exercises for different body parts and 5=
also understand what a balanced posture should look 6=
like Right? 7=
8=
9=
Lets now focus on basic exercises you should include The dashed line is the
into your training program to help people to improve __________________________________. What
posture. structure attaches here?
They can do this as home work or as a warm up, either
way it’s a great way to get better results! What are the names and functions of the muscles
inserting at the dark rectangles?
Lets look at shoulder girdle first
What is the name and function(s) of the muscle
Recap Anatomy: inserting along the bones labeled

Functions of the shoulder girdle: 3

Figure 1 SCAPULA MOVEMENTS

Retraction means the scapula is drawn towards the midline;
protraction is movement away from the midline. Elevation
is raising the entire scapula upwards as in shrugging ones
shoulder; depression is lowering the scapula.
a. = pubic bone

b. = ischium

c. = ilium

1 = Lesser trochanter of femur

2 = Greater trochanter of femur

3 = Neck of femur

4 = Shaft of Femur

Angle of inclination is the angle between the neck and

shaft of the femur.
Figure 4. Shoulder Girdle - Posterior
1. Name the bony features of the shoulder girdle
indicated by each number

2. Draw in the ligaments the support the joints of the

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Chapter 14: Postural analysis and correction techniques

How?

Now let’s look at the core :pelvis /hips:

Functions of the pelvis and Hips:

Figure 2 - Bony Female Pelvis

shoulder girdle
I. Shoulder Girdle/Blade dysfunction:
Proper back posture is achieved when the superior ( A - A) and inferior
Issues:
(B - B) angels of the scapula are parallel to each other as are the iliac
 When the shoulder blades are not parallel to
crests (C - C) . A straight line should pass equidistant between these
each other
structures on both sides and also between both PSIS.
 When the shoulder blades move un-evenly in
relation to lateral movement(when hands go
up towards the ceiling)
 When shoulders are rounded or deltoids are
internally rotated.
Aims:
 To help give stability to shoulder girdle
 To help manage/correct bio-mechanical
errors.
 To improve function of Retractors
Remedies:
Level 1
1. Standing Ext. Rotation + Sh. Blade
Retraction
2. Standing Retraction and Protraction
3. Lean against wall push ups
4. Shrug and depress scapula
Level 2
Prone on Floor
1. 4-point retraction and protraction
2. Single arm elephant swing
3. Single arm raise
4. Super-mans

Supine on Floor
1. Reach for ceiling and bring back(Sh.
Retraction and Protraction)

You can also do:

 Int rotation with arms bent
 Ext rotation with arms bent
 Use cables
 Db’s

Apply the above into compound exercises on a

functional basis.

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Chapter 14: Postural analysis and correction techniques

II. Core instability:

Issues:
 Excessive Lordotic curve: the spine has a
natural s-‘curve’, when you look at it from the
side view. the curve along the lower back is
known as the lordotic curve. When it gets
more than it should, it is commonly called as
increase of lordosis or ‘Excessive Lordotic
Curve’.
 Why does it happen?
a. Genetic factors(congenital)
b. Muscular imbalance
c. Postural habits
d. lifestyle

 Flat back:when the lordotic curve is less than

what it is supposed to be.
 Why does it happen?

 Rotated Pelvis(Refer to Physio)
 Pelvis tilted(Refer to Physio)

Aims:
 Core muscle activation
 Awareness of neutral spine
 Gluteus activation

Remedies:

Level 1
1. Breathing correctly
2. Pelvic tilts
3. Neutral spine awareness
4. Activate core muscles-
PF,TA,Obliques,QL,etc
Level 2
1. Leg loading level 1 to level 4
2. Bridge curls
3. Bridge curls + 1 leg raise(look for hip
alignment)

Standing:
4. Sitting on Fit-Ball –single leg
raise(combine with gluteus function)
5. Standing Single leg raise(combine
with gluteus function)

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